Sunday, February 13, 2011

Mom Bloggers Making a Positive Impact on Canadian Health, One Post at a Time


For those unfamiliar with the blogging world, Mom bloggers have a very strong role in the health of Canadians. As socially/digitally connected moms, we care. Be it in the form of a simple Tweet, responding to a fellow mother's questions about breastfeeding or car seat safety, or leaving comments on blogs or message boards, we help one another. By giving support when it comes to grief and loss of a child or sharing experiences so others know they are not alone, we  help one another.

When I was put on strict hospital bed rest for my high risk pregnancy, I was overwhelmed with all the support, love, and encouragement that came from readers all over the world. What could have been a depressing time (I was on my back for almost five weeks with only bathroom privileges!), wasn't! I received many comments, e-mail messages, cards, phone calls and visits from some blog friends (and friends I reconnected with via the 'net). I posted questions about preterm babies, checked out websites and mom boards that specialized in premature babies and preterm labor.

Then came the very early arrival of our daughter, Little One.  She arrived at 28 weeks gestation and spent the first 70 days of life in the NICU. Readers of my blog followed our long and sometimes scary journey. They shared in the ups and downs of each day in the hospital.

Mom bloggers do have an impact on health. By being there for other parents, we offer support. Just from the mental health standpoint, if I didn't have the blog during my bed rest during pregnancy or while our baby was in the NICU, I know I would probably not have come out of the experience as well as I did. This is just me being honest. The blog world lets us know that we are not alone. Other parents have gone through what we have and can provide a sense of community.

When I posted "HELP! How do I soothe a baby when teething?", I was overwhelmed with how many Moms replied to my Facebook status update.

I also received amazing advice from Moms on Facebook and Twitter when I posted that my toddler had been screaming all night, complaining that her legs and feet hurt. I am thankful to have the resources we have now. Drawing from the experiences of other moms (and of course, seeking advice from health professionals) has been such a blessing. In return for all the support I have been given, I've been prompted to become an advocate for premature babies and help raise awareness and give support to other parents of preemies.


Being a Mom is probably the hardest (yet most rewarding) job a woman could have. The daily struggles and anxieties of life and trying to find a proper balance between family, work and everything else are ever present. I have to say thank goodness for Mom bloggers! We do have an impact on the health of Canadians (as well as around the globe). Even my husband agrees!


I wrote this post for the chance to win tickets to Blissdom Canada. You can follow me on Twitter and Facebook . Please don't forget to follow @BabyDdrops #DdropsBliss on Twitter and Facebook


Best of luck to all the wonderful Canadian Mom bloggers who are entering this contest! Thank you, Ddrops for this amazing opportunity!

5 comments:

Nat Bourre said...

What a heartfelt post. That must have been a very nerve wrecking 5 weeks for sure. You benefited from the other Mom bloggers back then, but there are probably many Moms who are in the same situation you were who are now benefiting from your earlier posts. Thanks for entering the Ddrops Bliss contest.

Good luck,
Natalie on behalf of the Ddrops team

CynthiaCrumb said...

C, what a story you have. Thanks for sharing it and good luck with your entry! :)

C said...

Nat:
Thank you :) Those 5 weeks of bed rest were indeed crazy, but the 70 days of Little One in the NICU were even worse! I hope our story provides some comfort to other parents who have similar experiences. I've been in touch with many moms and dads of preemies since I started blogging about life in the NICU and life with a preemie. I know this is something that really helps. Having someone who has been there. There is comfort in knowing that things *can* turn out really well for babies born so early :)

C said...

Cynthia:
Thanks so much! Best of luck to you too! Wouldn't it be great if we were both chosen? :)

~Crazy 4 Daizies~ said...

~I can totally relate to this post! I don't know where I'd be without having the internet at my fingertips during my pregnancy and life journey of Bennett-Chadlen.

I received a lot of support from people all over the world on a daily basis. It felt good to know others were reading and caring enough to reach out and send a few words of comfort, or mail a tiny gift to let me know how much compassion they had for my family.

Good luck, and Nimkee-Blessings to all xxoo

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City girl moves to the country, falls in love, and marries a farmer. She tries to incorporate her city ways with her new country lifestyle and blogs to keep in touch with friends, family & students who live far, far away :) Can this city girl go country? Watch as she learns all sorts of exciting things about life on the farm and in a small rural community. *UPDATE* We are now parents! Our baby girl was born on Nov. 11, 2008 (at 28 weeks gestation- 12 weeks premature, but she's quite the trooper)!!!
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